Construction system

ABSTRACT

The present invention is directed to a construction system which has individual construction elements or components which can be connected to each other by at least a ball-to-socket joint or a socket-to-socket joint. A basic construction element has a body with a ball at one end and a socket at the other end, or balls at both ends, or sockets at both ends. Other construction elements are contemplated which can have more than or less than two connectors for a single element.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 and applicableforeign and international law and incorporates in its entirety U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/900,443, filed Feb. 9, 2007.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to construction systems, and moreparticularly to construction systems including individual constructionelements having ball and jaw connections.

SUMMARY

The present invention is directed to a construction system which hasindividual construction elements or components which can be connected toeach other by at least a ball-to-socket joint or a socket-to-socketjoint. A basic construction element has a body with a ball at one endand a socket at the other end, or balls at both ends, or sockets at bothends. Other construction elements are contemplated which can have morethan or less than two connectors for a single element.

A ball from one construction element or component can be removablyinserted into the socket of another element. The socket, which will alsobe referred to as a jaw, has at least two petals separated by openingson either side of the petals. The ball-to-socket joint may “lock” atorientations when at least one detent in the interior of the socketprotrudes into at least one of a plurality of dimples on the ball. Dueto the contour of the petals of the jaw, the available range oforientations in a ball-to-socket interconnection is at least two pisteradians. The ball may incorporate a regular pattern of dimples thatallows small well-controlled and reproducible reorientations of theconnection to be made.

The elements may also interconnect in many ways, such as for example,two types of socket-to-socket connections where the longitudinal axes ofinterconnected elements are collinear. In a socket-to-socket connectionthe petals of one element connect with the petals of a second element. Athird type of socket-to-socket connection allows the elements to form achain with the longitudinal axes of the elements being parallel andcoplanar and orthogonal to the direction of the chain. The elements mayalso be interconnected by having the socket of a first element grasp thebody of a second element. With the socket-to-body connection, thelongitudinal axes of the two elements are orthogonal and the anglebetween the symmetry plane of the first element and the longitudinalaxis of the second element is continuously adjustable through 360degrees. In the socket-to-body connection, a closed system can be formedby the connection of three elements. The construction set may includeelements of different size scales and elements having connectors of morethan one size scale.

Components and connectors may be configured in size, construction andmaterial properties to be used by younger children with less developedmuscle strength and coordination. The force required to join twocomponents such as a ball into a socket may be limited and the forcerequired to disengage the ball from the socket may also be limited.Components may be sized so they can be gripped firmly with a child'sfull hand to exert a maximum amount of force for engaging one componentinto the mating parts of a second component.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a child playing with a constructionsystem according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a construction component of a constructionsystem.

FIG. 3 illustrates two construction components being joined together.

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of another construction component of aconstruction system.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of two construction component joinedtogether.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows components of a construction system according to thepresent disclosure in use by a child 12 at 10. Child 12 holds twoconstruction components 100A and 100B and is preparing to assemble themtogether into a single unit. Components are sized to be fully grasped bythe child's small hand. The child may hold a component in each hand,grasping them firmly to engage one to the other. Additional componentsare also shown that may be further assembled to an assembled unit.

A basic construction component 100 is shown in FIG. 2. The constructioncomponent 100 may be made of an elastomeric compound. The constructioncomponent 100 has an elongated substantially cylindrical body 112, witha socket or jaw 114 extending from body 112 at one end and asubstantially spherical ball 116 attached to body 112 at a second end.Socket 114 is attached to body 112 at one end by a neck 118 having awidth less than the diameter of body 12. Ball 116 is also attached tobody 112 by a neck 120 at the opposite end, neck 120 having a width lessthan the diameter of body 12. Necks 118 and 120 may be circular, oval,rectangular or other shape in cross section.

Similar numbering may be used for similar components in the figures.

Referring again to FIG. 1, joining components 100A and 100B end to endis illustrated as part of forming various structures. Ball 116 may beinserted into socket 114 using an applied force exerted by one handpushing on component 100A and the other hand pushing an opposingdirection on component 100B until the socket engages the ball.Alternatively, child 12 may place one component on the floor and pushthe ball 116 into the socket by holding a second component with bothhands and pushing down to insert the ball of the held component into thesocket of the component on the floor. Components may alternatively bejoined by engaging the socket of component 100A to the socket ofcomponent 100B.

FIG. 3 at 200 shows first component 100A including ball 116A and secondcomponent 100B including socket 114B. Components 100A and 100B are notjoined and are coming together with ball 116A to be inserted into andengage socket 114B.

At 250 in FIG. 3, components 100A and 100B have engaged each other withball 116A in socket 114B. Component 100A is retained by component 100B.To separate the two components, force may be applied to each componentin opposite directions to overcome the retention force of socket 114B.

Component 100 may be configured to operate with a set range of appliedforces. Component 100 may engage ball 116 in socket 114 when aninsertion or pushing force within a set range is applied to thecomponents, deflecting the socket sufficiently to admit ball 116.Component 100 may disengage ball 116 from socket 114 when a pullingforce within a set range is applied to the components, overcoming theretention force of socket 114 and deflecting the socket so the ballmoves out. This retention force maintains engagement between componentsduring play.

Component sets may be engineered and configured for different agegroups. A first set of components may be configured with a range ofextraction and engaging forces that is lower than a second set ofcomponents. The first set of components may be engineered for preschoolchildren that have not developed the muscle strength of school agechildren. The second set of components may be engineered with higherextraction and engagement forces to be used by more developed school agechildren.

A third set of components may be engineered for applications where theassembled components must remain engaged when roughly handled such as anindustrial application, student demonstration project or a museum handson exhibit. These component sets may be engineered with even higherengagement and extraction forces.

Component materials may be selected, and mating parts configured, so asto be joined and parted with a limited amount of force, as may beexerted by a child. Deflecting parts of a socket designed for preschoolchildren may deflect with a limited force as a result of element design,element thickness and/or the material composition. Component materialsmay be selected, at least in part, to limit sliding friction betweensurfaces so that on assembly, less applied force is required to assemblea component into a socket.

Surfaces and edges of elements and components designed for use bypreschool children may be configured to limit the amount of forcerequired for assembly. For example, edges and corners of connectors andelements may be rounded with large radii to limit any “stubbing” ofbiased elements on contact to mating component elements.

The surfaces of mating elements may be textured in such a way as tolimit the insertion and extraction force required to engage and/ordisengage one component with a second component. Dimples, surfaceroughness, protrusions, smoothness or other surface features may be usedto limit friction, stubbing and deflection of components to configurethem for preschool children.

The components may be comprised of elastomeric compounds that includeone or more of ABS, PVC, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, naturalrubber, synthetic rubber, nylon, acrylic or other synthetic or naturalmaterial. Components may be injection molded. Individual components maycomprise more than one material. End elements of the component may becomprised of different material than the body of the component.Components may further incorporate structural features that are composedof metal or other material which may add structural strength and supportto surrounding materials.

Alternatively, components may be made from wood, metal, glass, minerals,fiber or other material.

Components 100 may be sized for the appropriate age group as well ashaving engagement and extraction forces engineered for the age group. Asan example of a component 100 for a preschool child and referring againto FIG. 2, body 112 may comprise a length from 3.5 inches to 5 inchesand a diameter of 1.0 inches to 1.4 inches as designated at A and B,respectively. Ball 116 may have a 1.3 inch to 1.9 inch diameter ball andnecks 118 and 120 may have a 0.4 inch to 0.5 inch diameter as designatedat C and D, respectively. Socket 114 may have a 0.9 to 1.4 inch openingbetween petals of the jaw and a length of 1.3 inches to 1.9 inches asdesignated at E and F, respectively. There may be a fillet at the baseof one or both of the necks, which may add strength.

Ball 116 may include a plurality of small dimples on the surface.Alternatively, the surface of the ball may be textured or smooth. Thesedimensions and features are examples and actual components may be largeror smaller or incorporate different or additional features.

As another example of a component 100 for a preschool child andreferring still to FIG. 2, body 112 may comprise a length of 3.5 inchesand a diameter of 1.0 inches as designated at A and B, respectively.Ball 116 may have a 1.9 inch diameter ball and the necks may have a 0.5inch diameter as designated at C and D, respectively. Socket 114 mayhave a 1.0 inch opening between petals of the jaw and a length of 1.9inches as designated at E and F, respectively.

FIG. 4 shows an alternative configuration of a component 300 including abody 302, a first socket 304, a second body socket 306 and a ball 308.The body socket 306 is shown in the middle of body 302 and may beconfigured to accept the body of another component.

FIG. 5 shows the component 300 of FIG. 4 joined with a component 402similar to component 100 of FIG. 2. Component 402 is engaged to the bodysocket 306 of component 300. The joined component 400 includes twosockets and two balls and may be used to build additional structures.Component 300 may again be engineered for engagement and extractionforces compatible with and appropriate to a selected age group.

The described system and assemblies are examples and are not to be usedas limitations. The number of connectors may be more or fewer than thoseshown. The orientation or position of connectors may vary from theexamples. Any suitable configuration or combination of componentspresented, or equivalents to them that perform a similar function, mayalso be used.

While embodiments of a construction system and methods of use have beenparticularly shown and described, many variations may be made therein.This disclosure may include one or more independent or interdependentinventions directed to various combinations of features, functions,elements and/or properties, one or more of which may be defined in thefollowing claims. Other combinations and sub-combinations of features,functions, elements and/or properties may be claimed later in this or arelated application. Such variations, whether they are directed todifferent combinations or directed to the same combinations, whetherdifferent, broader, narrower or equal in scope, are also regarded asincluded within the subject matter of the present disclosure. Anappreciation of the availability or significance of claims not presentlyclaimed may not be presently realized. Accordingly, the foregoingembodiments are illustrative, and no single feature or element, orcombination thereof, is essential to all possible combinations that maybe claimed in this or a later application. Each claim defines aninvention disclosed in the foregoing disclosure, but any one claim doesnot necessarily encompass all features or combinations that may beclaimed. Where the claims recite “a” or “a first” element or theequivalent thereof, such claims include one or more such elements,neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements. Further,ordinal indicators, such as first, second or third, for identifiedelements are used to distinguish between the elements, and do notindicate a required or limited number of such elements, and do notindicate a particular position or order of such elements unlessotherwise specifically stated.

1. A construction system comprising: a plurality of constructioncomponents, each construction component including: a cylindrical bodyhaving a first end, a second end, and a diameter; a socket disposed onthe first end of the cylindrical body, wherein a neck is defined betweenthe socket and the cylindrical body, the neck having a width less thanthe diameter of the cylindrical body; and a substantially sphericalelement disposed on the second end of the cylindrical body; wherein aspherical element of a first construction component is sized to bereceived in a socket of a second construction component.
 2. Theconstruction system of claim 1, wherein the width of the neck is betweenabout 0.4 inches and about 0.5 inches, and wherein the diameter of thecylindrical body is between about 1.0 inches and about 1.4 inches. 3.The construction system of claim 1, wherein a ratio of the diameter ofthe cylindrical body to the width of the neck is between about 1.1 and1.9.
 4. A construction system comprising: a plurality of constructioncomponents, each construction component including: a cylindrical bodyhaving a first end and a second end; a socket disposed on the first endof the cylindrical body; and a substantially spherical element disposedon the second end of the cylindrical body, wherein a neck is definedbetween the spherical element and the cylindrical body, the neck havinga width; wherein a spherical element of a first construction componentis sized to be received in a socket of a second construction component;and wherein a ratio of the diameter of the spherical element to thewidth of the second neck is less than 3.75.
 5. The construction systemif claim 4, wherein the diameter of the spherical element is betweenabout 1.3 inches and about 1.9 inches, and wherein the width of the neckis between about 0.4 inches and about 0.5 inches.
 6. A constructionsystem comprising: a plurality of construction components, eachconstruction component including: a cylindrical body having a first end,a second end, and a diameter between about 1.0 inches and about 1.4inches; a socket disposed on the first end of the cylindrical body; anda substantially spherical element disposed on the second end of thecylindrical body, wherein a neck is defined between the sphericalelement and the cylindrical body, the neck having a width between about0.4 inches and about 0.5 inches; wherein a spherical element of a firstconstruction component is sized to be received in a socket of a secondconstruction component.
 7. A construction system comprising: a pluralityof construction components, each construction component including: acylindrical body having a first end, a second end, and a diameter; asocket disposed on the first end of the cylindrical body; and asubstantially spherical element disposed on the second end of thecylindrical body, wherein a neck is defined between the sphericalelement and the cylindrical body, the neck having a width; wherein aspherical element of a first construction component is sized to bereceived in a socket of a second construction component; and wherein aratio of the diameter of the cylindrical body to the width of the neckis greater than 2.8 or less than 2.7.